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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ground — the earth
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. firm — decided
  6. club — a group
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. perch — the fish
  9. plane — a tool
  10. club — for golf
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. firm — a company
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. firm — steady
  18. club — for dancing
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com